


It's showtime!

by satchihatchi



Category: Gravity Falls
Genre: Adult Dipper Pines, Adult Mabel Pines, Alternate Universe, Anal Sex, Bad English, Bottom Dipper Pines, Ear Piercings, Eventual Smut, Fluff and Smut, M/M, Makeover, Musical References, Night Club AU, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Rating May Change, Sex Toys, Tattoos, Top Bill Cipher
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-01
Updated: 2021-01-15
Packaged: 2021-03-11 03:21:09
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 8,072
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28478325
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/satchihatchi/pseuds/satchihatchi
Summary: Do you know how great and exciting it is to manage to win 2 tickets to a show at the most exclusive club in all of LA? Well, this is exactly what happened to Mabel and Dipper during their trip to celebrate graduating from university. The young man isn't exactly happy about it and would rather stay in a hotel room with his book. However, Mabel does not want to go there alone and eventually persuades him to go there with her. He has no choice but to sigh and agree.But little do they know, that this show will change their lives forever and that it will get Dipper into the spotlight alongside a star named Bill Cipher ...
Relationships: Bill Cipher & Dipper Pines, Bill Cipher/Dipper Pines
Comments: 7
Kudos: 33





	1. Welcome to the Mindscape Club!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *This chapter was edited with the help of my Beta reader, Lumi. Thank you so much for your help!

"Dipper, you won't believe me what just happened to me!" Mabel entered our hotel room happily. She was out of breath as if she was running all the way there.  She was out of breath as if she ran all the way here, so it must have been something big. "What's the matter, Mabel? Don't tell me you actually won the jackpot. ”I raised my eyebrows at my sister. "No, but something _almost_ as great. Try to imagine it! I was with a couple of girls from the hotel at an event with a raffle, and guess what! I won 2 VIP tickets for today's show at the Mindscape club! ”She said, waving the tickets triumphantly in front of my face. I didn't know how she managed to get tickets to such a show, but I definitely didn't plan to join her there.  "Oh, that's great, Mabel. But I must disappoint you because I will not go there with you. ”I responded, bored, and returned to reading my book. Mabel was quite taken aback by my answer, and she was quite upset about it. That meant nothing good.

"What? Dip-Dop, you can't be serious! It's one of the best clubs in all of Los Angeles. We didn't come here just to read books in our room. We are officially adults, recent university graduates! So why not celebrate with a big party at a club like this? ”She argued, sitting down on the bed next to me. I mean, yeah, she was right. We came to LA to celebrate graduating from university and entering life as working adults. It was only a trip for 5 days, and we have already spent 4 of them walking through the city, visiting local museums and monuments. Nothing very exciting if you ask Mabel. So it was obvious that she wanted to have fun, and this was just playing into her hands.

"But what about money? You know we didn't get much from our parents for this trip. I think the club as such must be as expensive as an ass. So even if the tickets were free, the drinks would cost us a lot of money. ”I used a counter-argument, but that didn't deter her. "That's the best thing about it! As VIP guests there, we have all the drinks and food completely free. So all we have to do is get dressed nicely and go there to enjoy the show. Pleeeease, come with me.”  She moved closer to me, making dog eyes. This quarrel could take hours, but it was clear to me at that moment that she had won me over. So I sighed with a sense of defeat. "Okay. I'll go there with you if you want it so badly. "

“Thank you, Dipper! I'm sure you'll enjoy it as much as I  will . Well, the show doesn't start until 8 so we still have 2 hours. Aaah, I'm so looking forward to it! Thanks again, bro. You're just the best! ”She smiled, and I sighed again.  _ "Well, that'll be such a pain in the ass,"  _ I thought.

_ But little did I know how this night would change my whole life… _

_ \------------------------------- _

The Mindscape Club was located in the heart of the city. This 7-story entertainment venue was the most exclusive club in the entire area. Just by the length of the line outside the door, we immediately recognized how popular it was. If we didn't have the VIP tickets (with the option not to wait in line) we would have to stand out there like those who were lucky enough to buy at least the cheapest tickets for today's show. Well, the cheapest… When I looked for the price of basic tickets on Mabel's  cell phone (because  mine was broken and at home ), I almost fainted. $300 just for entering! I didn't want to know how much our tickets could cost. At least now I understood why Mabel was so happy with those tickets.

"Welcome to Mindscape Club, can I help you?" The man greeted us at the front desk. He was tall, dark-skinned, and had short black hair. His white suit was spotless and must have cost more than my annual tuition. "Oh, yes. We have VIP tickets for tonight. Our names are Mabel and Dipper Pines.” Mabel smiled at the man and handed him the tickets. She dressed very nicely for the show. She was wearing a pink dress, a purple jacket, stiletto heels, and even took her best handbag with her. She also did not forget to  put on a necklace with earrings and use enough perfume. She claimed that if it was the best club in town, she had to look  like she belonged . What if she  met  a celebrity there!

I didn't bother much with my clothes. Not that I  brought  anything formal with me on this trip. Not really. But at the same time, I was scolded by Mabel when I wanted to wear ordinary clothes. So in the end, I ended up dressed in my best pants and a black leather jacket. There were also my glasses, without which I would not take a step out of the hotel. I was quite annoyed to wear them because I was used to surviving without them all my childhood but unfortunately, I had no choice now. Mabel often told me that I got it from all of that "non-stop studying at late hours". And well, here you have it. I  got  my bachelor's degree at the cost of my eyesight.

Honestly, I didn't really want  to go on this trip. If I could decide for myself, I'd rather stay home and start looking for a job. I studied literature and history, so I would certainly find some work in the library. It may have been a pretty boring job, but it would suit me perfectly. That made Mabel different from me. She wanted to work somewhere where she could release all her inspiration and ideas. That was the main reason why she studied fashion design. Surely she could find a job somewhere as a fashion designer. But now, she just wanted to enjoy a little bit of freedom. And how to enjoy it better than on a trip with her brother, right?

"Well, everything looks fine. Please follow me. ”The man returned Mabel's tickets and gestured to the other man at the large door to open it for us. He did so, and we followed the men inside the club. There was not much time left, and the performance was about to start soon…

We both held our breath as we entered. It looked so amazing there! There was reddish-brown wallpaper on the walls, black carpets on the polished  wooden floor, and a giant crystal chandelier  that hung about 10 meters above us. There was also a big bar, about 40 tables with red tablecloths and candles, and finally chairs with velvet covers. Just looking at it showed us how luxurious this club was.

Most of these tables were already occupied by people. Women and men of all ages, all dressed in the best clothes. We felt like a couple of peasants in the city. "Let me take you to your table. It's the best table we have here. ”A club worker interrupted our thoughts and led us through a maze of tables directly to the front of the room, directly across from the large stage. He helped Mabel take off her jacket and gave us a drink list after sitting down at the table. He must have expected us to order something. But looking at the prices, I couldn't believe my eyes. $ 15 for just a glass of water and ice! If the people around us didn't have these _free food and drink tickets_ as we did, they must have been millionaires for sure. How else could they afford something like that?

"Hey, hey, look! The show is just starting! ”My twin elbowed me enthusiastically as the lights slowly turned off in the room. Then it was completely dark in the hall. I didn't know why, but suddenly my heart sank. On the way here, Mabel told me that the star of this club is a great dancer and that his performances are simply unforgettable. But she didn't say who it was.

Suddenly the spotlights came on and shone on the man standing in the middle of the stage. I stared at him, wondering if I had ever seen someone so strange. He was tall, much taller than me, and tanned. His blond hair was short on the sides and dyed black, and his bangs, on the other hand, were long and partially dyed electric blue at the tips . He had a black eye patch over his left eye and several earrings in his ear. His costume was an incredible, dark blue suit with a bow tie, blue and gold sequins, and glitter. The man was also holding a black cane in his black gloves.

_*A/N: the song Bill sings is called: The Other Side of Hollywood " The link for the song is right here:*_

<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cGeTEBEiJKY>

At that moment, the music started, and the man began to sing. His tones were as perfect as his movements. People in the audience joined in and clapped the rhythm along with the lyrics. Some even got up from their chairs and started dancing as well. I couldn't resist the desire to  tap  my feet to the beat of such a tempting song. Then I began to nod my head, move my shoulders, my hips, and finally, I joined the rest of the people.  I got up from my chair and began to dance as well. It was quite fun, and even at that moment, it never occurred to me to feel any shyness dancing among so many people.

We all watched as more and more dancers, dressed in succubi costumes and demon costumes, joined the man. Some even did tricks in big  hoops , hanging high above our heads. There was so much confetti, glitter, and glare from the spotlights everywhere that I really got the impression that this was just a dream. Maybe it was because we were sitting right next to the stage just a few steps from the man's feet.

I couldn't take my eyes off the man. It wasn't just because of his unusual appearance. It was as if he had enchanted me with his movements. How energetically but elegantly he danced with a cane in his hand, without taking his eyes off any of us. I almost thought he was looking at **me**. But then something incredible happened during the end of the song. The man smiled and **winked** at me. And he didn't blink normally, but _flirtatiously_.

"What the-? Did he just wink at me right now? ”I said, confused as if I wanted Mabel to answer. However, she did not  hear  me because she was too immersed in the rhythm of the music. I could feel myself blushing and  I was just relieved that the man couldn't see it because he was already on the other side of the stage.

During the next few seconds, the man ran back to the center of the stage, made a perfect forward throw, and with great triumph ended the entire performance. I was so surprised by the show that I must have held my breath at that moment. I couldn't help but, like the rest of the people in the hall, I got up and gave him and the rest of the performers the biggest applause they could ever have. I had no regrets at all that I was persuaded to come here.

_ \------------------------------- _

This was followed by 2 more performances that evening. However, the man did not appear in any of them.  _ Maybe he was hired for just one show,  _ I thought. It was quite a shame because I truly liked his performance. Although this afterparty was also great. The waiters had a lot of work to do to bring their guests' such incredibly-expensive drinks and cocktails while a jazz band was playing in the background. I didn't plan on getting drunk, but I must admit that I ordered a few drinks with Mabel. And they all tasted better than any I've ever had.

Suddenly, however, one of the club's employees came up to us and tapped us carefully on the shoulder. "Mr. and Miss Pines? I'm sorry to disturb you, but I have a message for you from the owner of this club. He would like to meet you, and he asks if you will accept his invitation backstage. ”I blinked in confusion.  _ Does the club owner want to meet  _ _ us _ _? Why? Who was the owner anyway? I didn't remember anyone on stage who introduce _ _ d _ _ themselves as the owner. So why would he want to meet us? And on backstage!  _ But before I could say anything, Mabel answered for me, “Yes! It will be our pleasure! ”

"Well this way, please," the club employee smiled and went to show us the way. On the way there, however, I whispered in Mabel's ear. “Mabel! What do you think you are doing? After all, we did not agree on anything like that. We don't even know the owner!” 

"Come on, Dipper! Surely he must be a nice guy to invite us like that. Plus, it's backstage! Do you know how impossible it is to get to a place like the backstage of the best club in the city? Just keep calm, and everything will be fine. ”She replied and continued walking backstage. Typical Mabel, she thinks being calm is so easy. 

_ Well, maybe it won't be such a terrible meeting… _

_ \------------------------------- _

"Knock, Knock! Mr. Cipher? I brought your guests here, as you asked me to do. ” The employee called at the door with the big star. Immediately, the other side answered, "Let them come in". My heart stopped for a second in that shock.  _ I heard that voice today!  _ The employee opened the door, and Mabel and I walked into the dressing room.

"Oh, Mabel and Dipper Pines, right? The name is Bill Cipher. Welcome to the Mindscape Club. Did you enjoy the show? ” We were greeted by none other than the man from the first performance.  I stood there in a doorway, staring at the men. _ So I wasn't wrong, it really was him! Wait, so that meant he was both the club owner and the performer? _

“Yo, that was- I mean… You really… Like… wow, just wow! It was amazing, Mr. Cipher! ”Mabel shook hands with him. "Just call me Bill. And what about you, Dipper, did you like the show? ”He turned to me, and I just stared at him. When he stood in front of me like this, he seemed much taller than on stage. "Y-yes, it was phenomenal. You have such great talent. Your movements are so… “I tried to find the right word, but as with Mabel, I was speechless. That made the man laugh. "Hahaha. I know, right? Nothing pleases my heart more than sharing my show with new friends. Please sit down, "he offered us a seat on the large sofa behind us. We did so and watched as the talented owner of the club sat in the chair in front of us.

I looked around the room for a moment. The dressing room was quite spacious and full of interesting things. I was especially interested in the mannequins on which were his costumes. There was also a large wardrobe, a folding cosmetic chair, and a large black table with an even larger mirror with LED bulbs. But what I didn't understand was why a man like him owned so much makeup, powders, and cosmetics. Even Mabel, who loved to use make-up, had less of it than this guy!

_ "Thank you for your invitation, Bill. We truly like it here. ”Mabel spoke, and Bill just waved and poured some water into our glasses.  A  great thing  to have  after so many drinks if you want to avoid morning headaches. "Of course, of course! Well, I guess you two aren't  locals , are you? ”  _ Bill looked at us, and this time it was me who answered. "Oh, no. We come from Piedmont. We're here just on a trip to celebrate our graduation from college. "

That got the man's attention. He set his glass on the table in front of him and smiled. “Oh? So you two are recent graduates? Have you found a job yet? ”I just shook my head at the question. The man showed very friendly behavior towards us, so I could relax and talk with him without any problems. Which was quite different from my memories of college parties. "No, no. We will take care of that when we return home in 2 days. It's quite a shame. You must have a pretty great life here in LA, right? Live a life full of performances, incredible parties, and endless fun. ”

I didn't know if it was the alcohol we drank or the relaxed atmosphere, but I felt jealous as I looked at Bill. He had everything he wanted: he was in the spotlight,  basking in the  loud applause and certainly earning a large bundle of money. And above all, he enjoyed the work.  As for me , a life full of silence, boredom, and a lot of work awaited me. Maybe that's why I added to my words: "I wish I could work in a place like this club!"

"Oh, you certainly can. I was just about to ask you that. "

That suddenly woke me up from a trance. "Wait, what?" I asked, watching the man cross his leg over the other. Excitement could be seen in his eyes  _ (I mean, in his eye) _ . He almost gave me the same look Mabel gave me 4 hours ago. "I'm offering you a job, boy. I saw you during the show, and I have to say that you have amazing energy in you.  Your very  essence says that you have a huge potential to become great. Simply put, you fascinated me. Plus your dance moves weren't half-bad either. If you practiced a little and showed me how you sing, you could become a member of my show. You wouldn't have to worry about accommodation. Each of my employees has  their  own apartment here in the club. Also, all food and drink are at the expense of the company. So what do you say to that? Will you become a new member of the Mindscape club ?! ”

I didn't know if I was shocked because I got such a bizarre and sudden job offer from a man I didn't know at all, or  if it was  that he offered it to me just because "I had an amazing energy." Maybe both. Nevertheless, when my mouth opened, a clear answer came out. "No". Bill's and Mabel's enthusiastic expression turned to disappointment and confusion. I guess the man was expecting a different answer.

"I-I'm sorry, it's nice of you, but I can't accept such an offer. First, I can't dance, let alone sing. Mabel can confirm that my voice when I sing is appalling. And secondly, I'm not the type of person who can stand on stage in front of so many people. It is simply not possible. Now, if you'll excuse me, and my sister, we're in a hurry. Goodbye. ”I got up quickly and pulled Mabel out of the dressing room. I didn't want to stay there another second. And I didn't care that Mabel was yelling at me, confused, why I wanted to leave so suddenly. This was a world I didn't belong to.

"Wait, wait!" Bill stopped us in the hallway at the club exit. The man was determined, it had to be admitted. He immediately pulled a business card from his pocket and handed it to me. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to upset you. Just please consider it. If you ever change your mind, you have the contact details here. ”He tried to convince me, and he was very relieved when I took  the business card from him and tucked it in my jacket pocket. "I doubt it, but thank you for the show and everything. Goodbye, Mr. Cipher. ”I said and went out the front door.

_ \------------------------------- _

"What was that supposed to mean? Couldn't you just apologize and let it be? ”Annoyed, Mabel walked beside me on the sidewalk. We didn't have the money for a taxi, so all we had to do was walk to the hotel. Luckily, it wasn't that far. "And what else was I supposed to do, Mabel? Sitting there for another 15 minutes in absolutely awkward silence? The guy invited us there just to invite me to his circus! ”I argued, but it didn't satisfy her much. "It's not a circus, it's a club. Full of professional performers. ”. 

“And that's the problem! What would I do there among them, Mabel? I can't dance, I can't sing, I- Do you still remember our school performance at the elementary school? How I embarrass ed myself in front of everyone and r a n away from the stage? And that was just for our parents. Imagine what I would do in front of so many people! ”I crossed my arms and looked at the shops around us. Even though it was 11 p.m., the street was full of people. We literally made our way through the crowd.

Mabel was even more upset by my words. She didn't like the fact that I got her out of there so soon. But whatever, we saw the show, so she had nothing to regret. However, she did not want to end this discussion like this. She spread her arms with her purse and turned to me. "That may be true, but-"

I don't even know how it happened, but suddenly a man in a hood emerged from the crowd, grabbed Mabel's handbag, and ran away from us as fast as he could. "Hey, give it back! Stop him, thief! ”I shouted and ran after him. However, he was much faster than me and disappeared within seconds with my sister's handbag in the crowd. Mabel, standing there in shock, began to panic. "Oh no, no, no, no, no! This is a problem, a really big problem. ”I returned to her and tried to comfort her. I knew it was her favorite handbag, but even if we went to the police, we probably would never get it back. "Shhh, sis. It's alright. It's just a handbag. You just take your credit card from the hotel and buy a new one in the morning. ”I repeated to her, but it only made her cry more. As if it was not about the bag itself, but its contents.

"Dipper, I had my wallet inside with all our money." Eventually, she managed to speak through crying. I stood there like a piece of ice.  _ Did she mean it? Did she take  _ **_ALL_ ** _ of our money with her?  _ "You're kidding, aren't you? Wait, don't tell me your credit cards were there! ”I was horrified, just watching her nod. Okay, so this was a big problem. Somehow I knew inside my mind that leaving all our money for a trip to Mabel was a bad idea, but what could be changed now, right?

I looked in my pants pocket. I only had 10 bucks  on me . That could barely be enough for paying for hotel breakfast and lunch. We had rooms in the hotel paid in advance,  so at least  that was not a problem. However, the real obstacle occurred when Mabel told me that she also had  our bus  tickets in her wallet. How were we supposed to get home? We stood in the middle of fucking Hollywood, a 5-hour drive from Piedmont, with no money and no way to call home for help. And do you know why? Because, of course, she also had **our only cell phone** in that handbag! And what sucked about LA was that there was no such thing as a telephone booth. Plus, what would our parents say if they knew we ended up like this?  _ Is this how adults behaved,  _ _ ones  _ _ who w _ _ ere _ _ just about to move out and start their own lives? To be dependent on parental help? _

We knew our parents very well. If they had  known  about this ahead of time , they would certainly never have let us out of their hometown, nor would they have allowed us to visit our favorite great-uncle Stan. Yes, it occurred to us to try to find a phone booth and call him for help. But then we  remembered  that his phone stopped working 3 years ago and he has not used it since. Anyway,  no  one could ever call him. ( _ we had our own experience). _

_ \------------------------------- _

"Oh, what do we do?" I sat with my head in my lap on the bed in our hotel room. What seemed like a real dream turned into a terrible nightmare at one point. Thank God the receptionist gave us a spare key. Mabel was also clueless. We were both aware of how much we were fucked. "Maybe I can see if someone's offering a one-time job somewhere." She suggested after a moment's thought, but I immediately turned it down. "I don't know if it would help. There certainly aren't many such jobs available here in Los Angeles and even if there were any, I don't think the earnings would be enough for us to travel home by bus. Hitchhiking is also out of the question. Plus you must not forget that we have rented the room only until tomorrow evening. Then we end up on the street.  The s treet, Mabel! Like some homeless people! Oh god, what should we do? ” I felt like I should cry every second.

But then Mabel came up with the idea. "Dipper, I think there's another solution." I knew right away what she meant, and I shook my head. "No, Mabel! I will not return there! Not after the scene, I  made  tonight. I can't do that. ”But Mabel approached me and sat down next to me. She placed her hand gently on my thigh and looked at me desperately. "At least try it, please. It is our last hope. He said he would provide us with housing and food if you accepted the offer. It's only for a few days before we make enough money on  bus  tickets. After all, we have no job or other reasons not to stay in the city, so why not take advantage of it? I promise I'll look for some work too, so it's not just up to you. "

Her words somehow calmed me down and made me smile. She also returned my smile and offered me her little finger with the words: “So, is it a promise then? We'll get home without the help of our parents?"

"Fine, it's a promise. We can do it. ”We connected our fingers and made our favorite "pinky promise".

_ I was ready to accept Bill's offer ... _


	2. Job interview

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Big thanks belong to Lumi, who helped me fix this episode!

"Well, I wasn't expecting you to come back so soon." The club owner smirked at me. He had exactly the look a teacher has when she catches you cheating on a test. That  _ "So, now you're pretty fucked up, aren't you, my dear?" _ type of look. He stood opposite me, in his dressing room, leaning against his desk. It was only 2 p.m., but Bill looked quite tired despite his sassy appearance. I wouldn't be surprised if he just got up. After all, the club did not close until 4 in the morning.

I studied him closely. To my surprise, he looked completely different from yesterday. He was wearing black trousers and a dark blue shirt with the first two buttons unbuttoned, showing a piece of his tanned chest. His hair was pulled back into a bun, so his bangs wouldn't bother him too much. I had to say that it suited him better. He also still wore the eyepatch, so I assumed that he had to wear it for health reasons and not just as part of an outfit (as I first thought).

However, something I didn't notice before got my attention… 

Bill had tattoos. And not exactly a little. Every inch of skin I could see on the man was covered with a tattoo. On his chest, on both hands, he even had small triangles tattooed on his joints! All these artworks were precisely made and  were  of such quality that they could be considered masterpieces. My eyes traveled along those beautiful black lines and curves, and I wondered how many of those tattoos he actually had. Maybe there were more of them under the clothes, but I didn't dare to ask.  _ Damn, I'm staring at him here while he waits for my answer! _

"I-I have my reasons," I tried to answer as quickly as possible, but somehow, I couldn't stop staring at those tattoos. Bill noticed that and immediately asked, "You like them, don't you? Do you wanna take a closer look? ” I, embarrassed, took a step back. "N-no, that's not necessary!" I stammered, and the man laughed. He must have thought I was an idiot. I felt shame all over my body and had a great desire to turn around and go back to the hotel. But that was no longer an option: Either I passed this job interview and got a job, or Mabel and I would end up homeless.

"Well, yours doesn't look bad either, Pinetree!" He said when he finally stopped laughing and watched me blush slightly. I looked at my left hand and then at the man again. Yes, I had a tattoo too. Though mine wasn't as amazing as Bill's. It was just a simple design, made of dark blue lines and waves. 

I got it during my studies. You know... when you meet your friends, get a little drunk, and then have the courage to do such bizarre things as to get tattooed. Although I will never forget the argument with my parents. It was a big discussion on the topic: _"Why the hell did I want a tattoo ?! No one will ever hire me with that, etc. ”_

In the end, however, after a few months, my parents learned to tolerate it, and they somehow stopped being bothered about it. However, if it was a larger, much more bizarre tattoo, I am not sure how they would react. I guess they would force me to go remove it.

As I looked at my hand,  still standing next to a door , and was about to thank him for the compliment, Bill walked over to the chair  and continued talking, "But let's talk about my offer, Pinetree." He motioned for me to sit on the couch. However, as I sat on the couch, I looked at Bill in confusion. "Umm,  _ Pinetree _ ?" I repeated his words. The man pointed to my blue pine badge I had pinned on my bag. "Yeah, from this day on, I will call you like that. You see, everyone in this club has a nickname. It's less formal and easier to remember. And I think the word  _ Pinetree  _ fits you perfectly.  _ Pinetree _ … yeah, that sounds good. Much better than that  _ "Dipper"  _ of yours. I hope you won't mind me calling you like that. ”He explained, and I wanted to object. But I didn't say anything, because it wouldn't really help. After all, he was supposed to be my new boss, and as his new employee, I had to treat him properly. So instead of objecting, I took a deep breath and asked, "So, what is this whole "work in your club" thing about?"

"I'm glad you're asking. Well, like I said yesterday, I'm looking for people like you for my club. It is a relatively simple job for decent money. Though, you have to get used to the change in your sleeping schedule since we work during the night. You will have an apartment here in the club, so you will not have to commute. Regarding salary, you have written here how much your monthly salary would do. So, what do you say? ” The man handed me the paper, and I almost fell off my chair in shock. _As a librarian, I would never be able to make that much money! With that, we will be able to return home as soon as I receive my first paycheck!_

"And what about the payment of wages? When and how do I get my first paycheck? ”I asked another question. The man looked at me and drank the coffee he had in the cup next to him. "You get paid at the end of each month. That is, only after you go through the probationary month and pay off your debt. ”He simply answered, and I stared at him. I was so confused. What did he mean by that?

"What- what probationary month? What debt? I don't owe you anything. ”I stared at the job info paper in front of me, but Bill just grinned. "Oh, you don't know? There is a small rule that we have here. If you want to become a full-fledged employee of this club, you have to go through a probationary month. If I like your results and work hard enough, you become an official employee and get your first paycheck. Yet, with that money, you will have to pay off your debt for food and accommodation. You will not receive a rental discount until the second payment. So when you finish your second month here, then you will receive your " _true paycheck,"_ my dear Pinetree. "

That pissed me off. I'll have to work here **for free** for over two months ?! Less like work, it sounded like slavery. So, angry, I got up from the couch and looked into the man's eyes. "But — but you said you'd provide me with housing and food!" 

Bill just shrugged. "Yes, but I never said it was _for_ _free_. Did you think so naively that you would just get a furnished apartment in the middle of Los Angeles _just like that_? Don't be silly. I may be generous, but I'm not an idiot. ”

No matter how bad it sounded, he was right. Living in LA was expensive,  _ very expensive _ . But the thought that my parents would be missing us for 2 months seemed scary to me. I knew my mom too well. She would start panicking two days after  we didn't come back home. So, what would she do if we didn't return in two months? Well, I'd rather not imagine it.

"So, Pinetree, it's a deal or not?" Bill gave me his hand, waiting for my answer. He knew I was in a crisis situation, and I needed that job. Why else would I be back so soon, right? I looked at his hand, ready to shake it with him, but first, I opened my mouth saying, "But I have my demands, too." 

The man raised an eyebrow and asked, "And you think I will accept them? Remember,  **you're the one** who wants to work here. ”There was a little arrogance in his voice. So I replied in the same tone, "Yeah, but  **you're the one** who wants me here. So if I have to work here for you, I have 2 requirements. "

Bill  seemed to like my approach to him. He laughed and crossed his legs. "Fine, that sounds fair. What are the requirements? ”He drank his coffee again and waited for me to answer. "Well, first of all, I want my sister to be able to live in my apartment," I said, watching the man nod in agreement. Well, it was time to move on to the most important thing. "And second, my main requirement is to work here only as a waiter."

Bill was quite surprised by this request. He was probably expecting something else, like a salary increase or something. But I just wanted this. However, that was in contrast to Bill's idea of my work. " _ Waiter _ , Pinetree? Do you really think I need another waiter at my club? ”

"Well, since your employees didn't manage to take and bring our orders yesterday on time, then yes. I think you would need a new waiter. I'll do it for less money, but this is my only request. After all, I would be useless on stage. I can barely dance. And sing? I can't do that at all! Sorry if it destroys your illusions about me, but it's true. So do you agree? Is it a deal or not? ”I replied, bringing my hand closer to his. Bill hesitated for a moment but finally nodded.

"All right, Pinetree. It's a deal. Welcome to the Mindscape Club… "

\---------------------------------

"Dipper, are you sure this is the right apartment? I mean, look! This is too beautiful to be real! ”Enthusiastically, Mabel came inside the apartment with me.

After making that agreement and being accepted to the new job, everything went quite smoothly. Bill showed me the club and introduced me to several of my new co-workers.  Luckily,  I managed to get their names, I met 5 people: Pyronica, Keyhole, Hectorgon, Eightball, and Xanthar.

**Pyronica** was one of the performers, she had shoulder-long pink hair, and she was very nice to me. She was also my new neighbor from now on. I was sure Mabel would like her too because Pyronica adored as much fashion and makeup as my sister.

**Keyhole** was a short man, about 20 years old, with light blue hair and a tattooed keyhole on his forehead. Pyronica then explained to me later that he had it tattooed when he got too drunk with them at the bar. He  also  worked as a performer, but  only from time to time, he was a waiter as well. He was a little hasty and shy, but he sure seemed to be a friendly person.

**Eightball** and  **Xanthar** worked as bouncers.  They were actually  the two tall men standing at the front door when Mabel and I first came here. While Xanthar was dark-skinned and muscular, Eightball was thin, with faded skin with a green mohawk and tattoos under his eyes. The big bizarre thing was his eyes, which had black scleras. At first, I thought it was just contact lenses, but it was actually a  _ (very painful) _ tattoo. I didn't understand at all why he wanted to suffer so much for something like that. But whatever.

Finally, there was  **Hectorgon** , a bartender, 50 years old, with a big black mustache and a bowler hat on his head. Like Pyronica, he seemed to be quite a nice person, and it was said that everyone at the club liked him. He was also an excellent chef. Whenever I was hungry, he could cook something good for me. He was British, and from what I've heard about him, his "fish and chips" were _legendary_.

And now, we were here... Mabel and I stood in the doorway of our new home, being speechless. 

First of all , it was so spacious! It was a duplex, upstairs was 1 bedroom, and downstairs was the second one, a small bathroom, and kitchen, which was also a part of a living room. Mabel really liked the giant windows that formed a whole wall of the room and gave us a great view of the city. The apartment was already equipped in advance, with furniture from the previous owner. However, if we decided to change it, we could always buy a new one.  _ I mean ... if we had the money. _

Nevertheless, there was nothing to complain about, it was beautifully furnished there. The kitchen was made of marble and dark wood,  with  black cabinets. There was also an oven and a small refrigerator, great for Mabel's “cooking moods”. Moving to the living room area, there was a black couch and a large bookcase next to it. Certainly, the previous owner must have been a great reader and also full of positive thinking, because, despite the cool modern appearance of the apartment, he had most of the rooms painted in pastel colors.

Mabel agreed with me to take the bedroom downstairs, which, like the living room, had those large windows. I was quite bothered by having too much light in the room, so I liked to take the smaller bedroom upstairs. And not that I made a bad decision. The room wasn't as large as the bedroom downstairs, but that was compensated by a large comfortable bed that filled most of the space. There was also a small desk, chairs, and a walk-in closet. With a few minor adjustments, it could sure become a pleasant place to live.

Mabel's room was as impressive as mine. It was much bigger and with more furniture. Large double bed, desk, wardrobe, stereo… Painted in baby-pink and with a polished wooden floor. My sister was excited about the room. She immediately took her things out of her suitcase and talked about what she wanted to add to her new bedroom. I had to giggle. She was as excited as when we opened our presents at Christmas as children. Surely she must have been truly happy about this  _ "extended trip."  _

However, while inspecting the apartment, we noticed one thing. A telephone was hung on the wall by the front door. At first, we tried to ignore it, but we both knew we had to do it sooner or later.  _ We had to call our parents.  _ Yet, n either of us wanted to take care of that. "So...Will you do it, Mabel?" I asked, and she immediately objected. "What? No way! You know I can't lie! Plus, it's your apartment, so you should call! ”

"But you're the reason why we are stuck here!" I used a counter-argument. But that was a mistake because those words somehow hurt Mabel. She paused and looked at the ground below her. She looked like she was about to cry. I was instantly struck by guilt. I knew it wasn't her fault, so blaming her was unfair. I sighed, patted her gently on the shoulder, and said, "Okay, I'll do it. But in the meantime, go to Hectorgon and ask him if he can make us some sandwiches for dinner. "

Mabel's sad mood disappeared at the words. Excited, she nodded and ran to the door. "Alrighty then! Good luck with the call, Dip-Dop. Tell Mom and Dad I love them! ”Then she closed the door behind her and left me there alone with that  _ "devil's device" _ called the telephone.

Well, there was no time to put it off any longer. It was already 9 p.m., exactly 3 hours after we were supposed to arrive in Piedmont. My parents must have been nervous and asking where we were. So I took a deep breath and dialed my parent's phone number:

„ _ Rrrrrrriiiing, riiiiiing _ …. Um, hello? Mavis Pines speaking. Who's calling? ”

After a time that seemed endless, there was a gentle, familiar female voice. She didn't sound nervous or angry at all.  _ "Woah, it might not be that hard as I expected," _ I thought. I opened my mouth and tried to answer as cheerfully as I could, "Hi, Mom. It's me, Dipper. "

I was terribly wrong with how I thought she was calm. As soon as she heard my voice, she began to shout so angrily and loudly that I thought I had lost my hearing, “DIPPER MASON PINES! WHERE THE HELL ARE YOU? You should have arrived 3 hours ago! Do you know how much we are worried about you and your sister ?! I've called Mabel's phone a thousand times, but n either of you answered me. We even called the hotel, but they said you had just checked out a little after lunch! So can you tell me where exactly you are? Are you in a traffic jam? Did you miss the bus? What time are you coming ?! ”

Okay… so things got a little complicated. I expected her to be a little upset about it, but I didn't know she would be angry THAT MUCH. I was afraid of her reaction to my next answer, so I put the phone away from my ear, just to be safe.

"I'm sorry we didn't call you back. Mabel's phone stopped working, and we had to throw it away. And about when we get home... well, umm... the thing is, we're not on the bus. In fact, it looks like we won't be coming home until two, maybe two and a half months- ”I wanted to continue, but  thanks to my mother's fit of rage, I had to stop. "WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY YOU WILL BE BACK IN TWO MONTHS ?! DIPPER, YOU ARE 23, YOU ARE UNEMPLOYED, STILL LIVING AT OUR PLACE! WHY THE HELL WOULD YOU WANT TO STAY IN A PLACE LOS ANGELES FOR TWO MONTHS? ...Hold on. You're aren't in a big problem, aren't you? Because if you two got in trouble there and you're stuck in jail now, I swear I'll disinherit you both! Do you hear me? You'll never travel anywhere again! No trips, vacations,  **nothing** ! So if you don't want me to get in the car right away and  come get  you, tell me right now why you can't come home. "

At that moment, I was speechless. If I told her the real reason, it would be about the same level as the prison thing. But I had to tell her something! Something that would calm her down enough to let us stay here and, above all, not to kill us when we returned home. But I had no ideas. Literally inside my head was one big  _ “nothing” _ . However, I was running out of time, and I had to quickly figure something out.

And then it happened. The idea came, like a miracle from heaven. Something that would be trustworthy enough to believe it. "Mom, calm down. We didn't do anything wrong, "I began to explain slowly." We just met grunkle Stan during our trip. You know, the one we spent every summer with until we were 17. We talked a lot, and he asked if we would like to stay at his place for a while and enjoy the summer with him in Oregon. That we would have a part-time job in his Mystery Shack, make some money, and enjoy the fresh air. Sorry, we didn't tell you earlier. The thing is... You know… Um… I'm calling you now from the new phone he bought us since Stan doesn't have one. We're on the highway now, and we'll be stopping at a motel soon so we can have some rest. I apologize once again that Mabel and I didn't tell you before. "

I don't know how, but my mom believed every word I said. As I told her all this, she seemed to calm down somehow. And when I finished my story, she immediately began to apologize. "Oh, I'm so sorry, honey! I was just worried about you and Mabel, that's all. So if you're with Stanley, I don't mind at all. I know how much you love him. Tell him I say hi and make sure to behave there. Also, don't forget to call us from time to time and tell us when you are coming home, okay? By the way, how is Mabel? Can you give her the phone for a second? ”

I immediately tried to think of another lie for the question. "I'm sorry, but she's already asleep. But she wanted me to tell you that she loves you! ”

That pleased mom, and she was ready to say goodbye. "Oh, that's so nice of her! Well, I'm gonna hang up. Say hello to Stanley one more time and call us back soon, okay? Enjoy it there and have fun! Mommy and daddy love you!” Then the phone beeped, and the call ended.

God, I felt my legs shake. I fell to my knees and felt great relief.  _ "Wow, I really did it!"  _ I thought, feeling happy at how convincing I was. But now, the worst part of it followed. Much worse than lying to my parents: I had to spend another 2 months working here in Bill Cipher's club…


End file.
